Travel Activities and Motivations of Canadian Residents · • The vast majority (87%) of Canadian travellers read the weekday edition of a newspaper in a typical week. A similar

Travel Activities and Motivations of Canadian Residents An Overview

March 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..............................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................7 OVERNIGHT TRAVEL BY CANADIANS .....................................................................................9

Incidence of Overnight Travel ...................................................................................................9 Reasons for not Taking Overnight Trips..................................................................................10 Destinations Visited.................................................................................................................11 Activity Participation while on Overnight Trips and Importance of Specific Activities as Trip Motivators ...................................................................................12 Shelter Used On Camping Trips..............................................................................................20 Tours .......................................................................................................................................21 Cruises ....................................................................................................................................22

BUSINESS TRAVEL...................................................................................................................23 Incidence of Business or Job-related Travel ...........................................................................23 Incentive Travel .......................................................................................................................24

PLEASURE OR VACATION TRAVEL .......................................................................................25 Incidence of Overnight Pleasure or Vacation Travel ...............................................................25 Number of Pleasure or Vacation Trips ....................................................................................26 Places Visited During Pleasure or Vacation Trips ...................................................................27 Number of Overnight Trips to Specific Destinations................................................................28

TRIP PLANNING ........................................................................................................................29 Involvement with Planning.......................................................................................................29 Information Sources ................................................................................................................30 Types of Websites Used .........................................................................................................31 Booking on the Internet ...........................................................................................................32 Purchases of Travel Packages................................................................................................33

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.................................................................................................34 Destination or Experience? .....................................................................................................34 Benefits Sought from Pleasure or Vacation Trips....................................................................35 The Importance of the Choice of Destination ..........................................................................36 Important Considerations in Choosing a Destination ..............................................................37

IMPRESSIONS AND RATINGS OF DESTINATIONS................................................................38 Appeal of a Destination ...........................................................................................................38 Reasons to Travel to Destination ............................................................................................39

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ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION AT HOME .....................................................................................40Outdoor Activities ....................................................................................................................40 Entertainment Activities...........................................................................................................41

COTTAGE OR VACATION HOME OWNERSHIP AND LOCATION .........................................42 RECREATION VEHICLE OWNERSHIP.....................................................................................43 MEDIA HABITS ..........................................................................................................................44

Newspapers ............................................................................................................................44 Magazines ...............................................................................................................................45 Television ................................................................................................................................46 Radio .......................................................................................................................................47 Internet Use.............................................................................................................................48 Membership in Organizations and Programs ..........................................................................49

GENERAL ATTITUDES..............................................................................................................50 VACATIONS DAYS ....................................................................................................................51 DEMOGRAPHICS.......................................................................................................................52

Age and Household income ....................................................................................................52 Occupation and Household Composition ................................................................................53 Respondent’s Place of Birth ....................................................................................................54 Parent’s Place of Birth.............................................................................................................55 Education ................................................................................................................................55

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report, entitled “Travel Activities and Motivations of Canadian Residents: An Overview”, is based on a survey of Canadian and U.S. travellers conducted between January and June 2006. However, this report deals only with the travel patterns and attitudes of Canadians. The report about the travel patterns of U.S. residents, entitled “Travel Activities and Motivations of U.S. Residents: An Overview” has been released on the Alberta-Canada website: www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/tourismResearch/tams_national.cfm. Unless otherwise specified, data in this report pertaining to Canadian travel patterns refer to the two-year time period including 2004 and 2005. Overnight Travel by Canadians • In the last two years, 84% of adult Canadians, or 20.9 million, took at least one

overnight trip, while 3.9 million did not take any such trips. • Most of the Canadians who did not travel cite time or financial constraints as the

reasons for not doing so. Although reasons related to health concerns at the destination or terrorism issues now appear on Canadians’ answers to this question, the proportion of Canadian non-travellers who mention these as reasons for not travelling is nowhere near the proportion of Americans who mention these reasons.

• Nearly every Canadian traveller has travelled in Canada. The United States is the

top foreign destination visited by Canadians, followed by Europe and the Caribbean. • Compared to the past ten years, over the last two years the proportion of Canadians

visiting Europe declined more than other destinations. • On overnight trips, Canadians most enjoy: dining at restaurants that offer local

ingredients and recipes; shopping for clothing, shoes or jewellery; shopping for books and music; strolling around a city to observe its buildings and architecture; and sunbathing on a beach.

• Although Canadians enjoy shopping and dining when they travel, these are not the

activities that motivate them to travel. Only 11% of the Canadian travellers who had participated in dining indicated that dining was the main reason for taking some of their trips. Similarly, only 14% of the Canadian travellers who had participated in shopping indicated that shopping was the main reason for taking some of their trips.

• Only a few (23 out of the 194 activities included in TAMS) of the activities undertaken

by overnight Canadian travellers were trip-motivators in more than 50% of trips that included the activity. This suggests that on the whole, single activities do not act as trip motivators.

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Trip Planning • In 2004-05, the majority (62%) of adult Canadians who took vacation trips got

personally involved in planning all of their overnight, out-of-town pleasure or vacation trips. Of those who got involved with planning, the majority (65%) used the Internet to do so.

• A bit over one-third (37%) of the Canadian pleasure travellers used the Internet to

make travel purchases (such as airline tickets). • Canadian travellers relied on their own past experiences and/or anecdotal

information provided by friends and relatives. More than 80% of Canadians who were involved in planning their pleasure trips used the advice of friends and relatives, a travel agent or past experiences.

• Nearly a quarter of adult Canadians who were involved in planning overnight

pleasure trips used advertising (in newspapers, or on TV or in publications received by mail) as a source of information.

• In planning overnight pleasure trips, Canadians are more likely to use hotel or resort

websites than other types of websites. Contrary to American travellers, they are also likely to use the website of a destination’s tourism authority.

Decision Making Process • The majority of Canadian overnight pleasure travellers started their trip-planning

process by considering the destination they wanted to visit, rather than activities or travel experiences (88%).

• 82% of all Canadian travellers used travel to relieve stress in one form or another.

Some 57% of travellers reported that they sought knowledge and mental stimulation, while 66% wanted to maintain or improve relationships.

• Almost two-thirds (62%) of Canadian travellers indicated that the choice of the

destination for a pleasure or vacation trip is very or extremely important to them (at least as important as buying a house or car).

• In choosing a destination, two conditions were vital to a majority of Canadian

travellers: Feeling safe at the destination (66%) and having no health concerns at the destination (50%).

Impressions and Ratings of Destinations • British Columbia is by far the most appealing of the Canadian provinces. It exceeds

the appeal of a selection of U.S. destinations as well.

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• Of the eighteen destinations listed in the TAMS questionnaire there are only three

where the proportion of Canadian travellers that rate them as very unappealing is higher than the proportion that rate them as very appealing (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories).

Activity Participation at Home • Canadian adults (travellers and non-travellers) say that their preferred outdoor

activities at home are outings to parks (62%), exercising (59%), gardening (57%) and swimming (55%).

• Their preferred entertainment activities at home are eating in restaurants (88%),

attending festivals or fairs (57%), going to pick-your-own farms or farmers’ markets (40%) and going to amateur sports events (38%).

Cottage and Recreational Vehicle Ownership • 32% of Canadian travellers (or 6.7 million) have access to a cottage, cabin or

vacation home. • The majority (99.5%) of these cottages and vacation homes are in Canada, with 85%

of them being located in the travellers’ own home province. Media Habits • The vast majority (87%) of Canadian travellers read the weekday edition of a

newspaper in a typical week. A similar proportion reads the weekend edition of a newspaper.

• 45% of Canadian travellers read the travel section of a daily newspaper frequently or

occasionally. 46% read the travel section of a weekend edition with the same frequency.

• Entertainment and music magazines, such as People and TV Guide, and general

interest magazines such as Harper’s enjoyed the highest readership among Canadian travellers.

• Movies on TV, news/current affairs and dramas (such as Law & Order, The West

Wing and The O.C.) had the highest audience among Canadian travellers. • Only 3% of Canadian travellers stated that they do not watch TV on a regular basis. • Almost all Canadian travellers listen to the radio on a regular basis.

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• 81% of Canadian travellers use the Internet as a source of information for personal use. Canadian travellers visit websites most frequently for information on weather (43%), entertainment (39%) and travel (38%).

• About a quarter (25%) of Canadian travellers belong to a frequent flyer program and

38% are members of an automobile club such as CAA. Vacation Days • In 2005, 21% of all Canadian travellers had 14 or fewer days of paid vacation given

to them by their employer. • Of Canadians who were entitled to paid vacations, 38% used 14 or fewer of these

days in 2005. Among those who used one or more days of their paid vacations in 2005, 13% used 1 – 4 days for travel and 26% used 5 – 9 days for travel.

Demographics • Canadian travellers are, on average, younger than non-travellers (average age: 45

versus 51) and have almost double the household income of non-travellers (average household income: $71,500 versus $41,000).

• Compared to travellers, higher proportions of Canadian non-travellers are retired

and lower proportions are employed as full-time, paid employees. • The vast majority of Canadian travellers live with a spouse or partner (68%) and

about one-quarter of them have children under the age of 18 (22%). Proportionally, more Canadian non-travellers live alone or with children, but without a spouse/partner.

• Canadian travellers are significantly more educated than Canadian non-travellers,

with 29% of travellers having a university degree.

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INTRODUCTION

This report is based on the 2006 Travel Activities and Motivations Survey (TAMS), which examined the recreational activities and travel habits of Canadians and Americans looking at their travel behaviour over the past two-year period. The survey provides detailed information on travellers’ activities, travel motivators, places visited, type of accommodation used, impressions of Canada, its provinces and territories, demographics and media consumption patterns.

This report deals only with the travel patterns and attitudes of Canadians. The report on the U.S. travel patterns has been released on the Alberta-Canada website: www.alberta-canada.com/statpub/tourismResearch/tams_national.cfm.

TAMS represents a comprehensive assessment of travel behaviour and motivators and provides a rich and authoritative database by which to develop marketing strategies and travel products to attract visitors to Canada. In particular, TAMS was designed to:

o Identify existing and potential tourism markets; o Measure the likelihood of these tourism markets being attracted to vacation

experiences in Alberta; o Create packaging opportunities for each of these markets; o Determine how to reach these markets (i.e. in terms of communication

strategies); and o Provide information on how to better fine-tune and target existing marketing

campaigns. TAMS was sponsored by the following organizations:

The Ontario Ministry of Tourism The Quebec Ministry of Tourism The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Tourism Manitoba The Canadian Tourism Commission Tourism Saskatchewan The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation & Culture The Department of Canadian Heritage Tourism BC Parks Canada The Government of Yukon Statistics Canada The Government of Northwest Territories

The survey was conducted in Canada and the United States between January 2006 and June 2006. Only adults (18 years and over) were recruited to were complete the survey. Thus, only the travel characteristics and behaviours of Canadians of at least 18 years of age were examined by TAMS. The reference period for the data is 2004 and 2005 and, unless otherwise specified, data in this report refers to this period. ‘Trips’ in this report refers to overnight out-of-town travel.

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The Canadian survey consisted of a telephone and a mailback survey: The household response rate on the telephone survey was 65.4%. Among those who qualified to receive the paper questionnaire the response

rate was 53.5%. The Canadian database consists of 53,150 completed records from the

telephone survey and 24,692 completed paper questionnaires. In this second TAMS survey (the first was completed in 2000), the questionnaire was adjusted to better meet the needs of our tourism stakeholders. Some of the differences include:

• More detailed questions regarding activities, as well as identifying the activities that were the primary motivators for trips;

• Identification of the travel decision-maker in the family and the process of selecting trip types;

• Identification of planning sequence regarding destinations, experiences or activities;

• Ratings of various factors as to their importance in deciding where to travel; • More detailed questions regarding media habits; • Additional questions on ethnic/cultural background to identify the country of birth

of the parents of the respondents as well as the time of immigration; and • Ratings of Canadian and foreign jurisdictions as destinations for pleasure travel.

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OVERNIGHT TRAVEL BY CANADIANS

Incidence of Overnight Travel

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95%

VictoriaVancouver

BRITISH COLUMBIAEdmonton

CalgaryALBERTASaskatoon

ReginaSASKATCHEWAN

WinnipegMANITOBA

Thunder BayGreater Sudbury

WindsorLondon

KitchenerSt. Catharines-Niagara

HamiltonTorontoOshawaKingston

OttawaONTARIOGatineauMontreal

Quebec CityQUEBEC

HalifaxATLANTIC CANADA

CANADA

Percent of Canadians who took one or more trips of one or more nights in 2004-05By place of Residence

Highlights:

• 84%, or 20.9 million, of adult Canadians (18 years of age or older) took at least one overnight, out-of-town trip during the two year period 2004-05.

• Canadians residing in Calgary were the most likely to travel overnight, while those residing in Kingston were the least likely to do so.

• 3.9 million adult Canadians (16% of the total adult population) reported that they did not take any overnight trips during this period.

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Reasons for not Taking Overnight Trips

REASON

% of Canadians who did not

travel

Number of Canadians who did not travel

(3.9 million) Financial reasons (not enough money, unemployed, etc.) 19% 754,279Too expensive / I would rather spend the money on something else 12% 480,815Not enough time to travel 11% 443,737Sick / Infirm / Disabled 12% 453,394Nobody to travel with 2% 60,162No particular reason 15% 581,249No interest / Nothing to see or do that appeals to me 13% 507,063No out-of-town family or friends to visit 2% 59,227I have young children 4% 165,518Recently made a major purchase (house, car, etc.) 1% 55,533Worried about health issues at the destination 1% 35,572Too much hassle to travel (passports, border crossings, etc.) 1% 36,595I am done travelling 1% 53,813Too old to travel 4% 173,500Worried about terrorism 0% 8,126Language difficulties / Don't speak the language 0% 4,771Some other reason 11% 435,035Don’t Know 0% 5,508Not Stated 14% 555,939

Highlights:

• In addition to financial and time constraints as the top reasons for not taking overnight, out-of-town trips, Canadians who did not travel also citied a general lack of interest in travel.

• Although a few Canadians mentioned fears about health issues or terrorism at the destination as reasons for not taking overnight trips, these issues are nowhere near as important to Canadians as they are to Americans.

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Destinations Visited

DESTINATION

# of Canadian travellers who

visited this destination in

2004-05

% of total travellers

(20.9 million)

# of Canadian travellers who

visited this destination in

the last 10 years


(20.9 million) U.S. 10,292,835 49% 14,316,890 69%CANADA (NET) 19,594,105 94% 20,150,951 97%NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR 901,739 4% 1,861,539 9%PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 1,452,838 7% 3,672,920 18%NEW BRUNSWICK 2,397,134 11% 4,766,015 23%NOVA SCOTIA 2,576,708 12% 5,099,651 24%QUEBEC 7,951,183 38% 10,590,509 51%ONTARIO 10,855,552 52% 13,317,695 64%MANITOBA 1,886,878 9% 3,460,452 17%SASKATCHEWAN 2,339,226 11% 3,914,517 19%ALBERTA 5,232,837 25% 7,676,426 37%BRITISH COLUMBIA 6,122,235 29% 8,776,019 42%YUKON 214,527 1% 674,577 3%NORTHWEST TERRITORIES 143,927 1% 466,595 2%NUNAVUT 64,156 0% 165,935 1%MEXICO 2,422,605 12% 4,848,291 23%SOUTH/CENTRAL AMERICA 964,942 5% 1,944,678 9%THE CARIBBEAN 3,088,832 15% 5,242,042 25%EUROPE (incl. UK&RUSSIA) 3,163,604 15% 6,279,693 30%ASIA 1,145,012 5% 2,185,759 10%AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/AFRICA 1,145,012 5% 1,591,284 8%

Note: Numbers and percentages do not add up to 100% because travellers visit more than one destination. Highlights:

• Over the last ten years, and in the most recent two-year period, Canada and the U.S. have dominated Canadians’ selection of travel destinations.

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Activity Participation while on Overnight Trips and Importance of Specific Activities as Trip Motivators Highlights for All Activity Tables: • Shopping and dining are Canadian travellers’ most popular activities. Destinations

that aspire to attract the mass travel market need to evaluate the shopping and dining opportunities that they offer to their visitors.

• Dining at restaurants that offer local ingredients and recipes, shopping for clothing,

shoes or jewellery, shopping for books and music, strolling around a city to observe its buildings and architecture, and sunbathing on a beach are the most popular single activities for overnight Canadian travellers.

• Although Canadians enjoy shopping and dining when they travel, these are not the

activities that motivate them to travel. Only 11% of the Canadian travellers who had participated in dining indicated that dining was the main reason for taking some of their trips. Similarly, only 14% of the Canadian travellers who had participated in shopping indicated that shopping was the main reason for taking some of their trips.

• The top trip motivators were (i.e., some of the trips where these activities occurred

were taken for the main reason of engaging in them): o Big game hunting (76% of the Canadian travellers who participated in big game

hunting indicated that some of their trips were motivated by this activity) o Snowmobiling - as an overnight touring trip (73%) o Golfing - package golf tour to play on various courses (73%) o Motorcycling as an overnight touring trip (73%)

• Winter outdoor activities as a group had the highest ratio of trips motivated by these

activities to total trips containing these activities (56%). • Only a few (23 out of the 194 activities included in TAMS) of the activities undertaken

by overnight Canadian travellers were trip-motivators in more than 50% of trips that included the activity. This suggests that on the whole, single activities do not act as trip motivators.

• Overall, 3.7% of Canadian travellers did not answer the questions regarding activity participation, either because they did not do any of the activities listed in the questionnaire or because they did not want to bother with a long question.

• As well, 32% of Canadian travellers did not mention any activity as the main reason

for taking any of their trips, either because single activities do not act as trip-motivators for many travellers or because they did not want to bother answering a long question. Given the low non-response rates in all of the other TAMS questions, this high percentage most likely signifies, again, that for a large portion of Canadian travellers, single activities do not act as trip-motivators.

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ACTIVITIES DURING OVERNIGHT TRIPS IN 2004 - 2005

Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)

% of travellers for whom this activity motivated some of

their trips WATER-BASED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES (NET) 13,329,390 64% 33% Fishing - fresh water 4,227,732 20% 10% Fishing - salt water 856,001 4% 1% Fishing - trophy fishing 149,808 1% 0% Kayaking or canoeing – freshwater 2,334,205 11% 4%

Kayaking or canoeing – ocean 783,552 4% 1% Kite surfing 56,797 0% * Motor boating 3,614,404 17% 4% Parasailing 272,164 1% * Sailing 888,368 4% 1%

Scuba diving in lakes / rivers 157,993 1% * Scuba diving in sea / ocean 553,464 3% 1% Snorkeling in lakes or rivers 488,099 2% * Snorkeling in sea / ocean 2,052,088 10% 1% Sunbathing or sitting on a beach 8,142,936 39% 17% Swimming in lakes 7,031,678 34% 9% Swimming in oceans 5,687,633 27% 8% Water skiing 1,096,068 5% 1% White water rafting 541,446 3% 1% Wind surfing 230,457 1% *

* Small sample size, number has been suppressed

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Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)

% of travellers for whom this activity motivated

some of their trips WINTER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES (NET) 6,085,321 29% 16% Dog sledding 184,704 1% * Ice fishing 1,084,909 5% 3% Ice-skating 2,069,668 10% 2% Cross country skiing 1,207,659 6% 2% Cross/back country skiing as an overnight

touring trip 229,888 1% 1% Downhill skiing 2,449,910 12% 8% Heli-skiing 48,096 0% * Ski jouring 19,133 0% * Snowboarding 849,586 4% 2% Snowmobiling - day use on organized trail 919,654 4% 2% Snowmobiling - as an overnight touring trip 344,618 2% 1% Snowshoeing 856,315 4% 1%LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES (NET) 13,626,681 65% 29% All terrain vehicle - used one on a same

day excursion 1,547,718 7% 2% All terrain vehicle - used one as part of an

overnight touring trip 433,132 2% 1% Bungee jumping 76,521 0% * Climbing - Ice climbing 42,365 0% * Climbing - Rock climbing 333,799 2% * Climbing - Mountain climbing / trekking 640,969 3% 1% Cycling - same day excursion 2,225,414 11% 3% Cycling - mountain biking 823,915 4% 1% Cycling as an overnight touring trip 284,507 1% 1% Fitness - Working out in a fitness centre 1,955,600 9% 1% Fitness - Jogging or exercising outdoors 2,272,089 11% 1% Golfing - played an occasional game 3,220,747 15% 3% Golfing - played during a stay at a golf

resort 880,157 4% 2% Golfing - package golf tour to play on

various courses 419,627 2% 1% Hiking- same day excursion while on

overnight trip 4,798,694 23% 5% Hiking in wilderness with overnight

camping 1,495,369 7% 4% Horseback - Same day horseback riding

excursion 959,042 5% 1% Horseback - Traveled by horse with

overnight stops 82,028 0% ** Small sample size, number has been suppressed

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Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)


some of their trips LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES CONT. Hunting big game 804,577 4% 3% Hunting small game 447,351 2% 1% Hunting birds 320,145 2% 1% In-line / roller blading 597,062 3% * Mini-golf 2,515,967 12% 1% Motorcycling - day excursion while on an

overnight trip 493,633 2% 1% Motorcycling as an overnight touring trip 318,789 2% 1% Skateboarding 129,668 1% * Visited national, provincial, state nature

park 6,042,579 29% 11% Viewing northern lights 1,169,453 6% 1% Wildflowers / flora viewing 2,071,873 10% 2% Wildlife viewing - Bird watching 2,002,635 10% 2% Wildlife viewing - Whale watching & other

marine life 2,210,519 11% 3% Wildlife viewing - Watching land based

animals 2,755,110 13% 2%TEAM SPORTS (NET) 4,470,437 21% 9% Badminton 406,913 2% * Baseball or softball 622,801 3% 2% Basketball 332,169 2% 1% Beach volleyball 752,617 4% * Board games 1,302,339 6% * Bowling 780,299 4% 1% Curling 310,469 1% 1% Football 234,452 1% * Ice hockey 1,067,214 5% 3% Paintball 173,834 1% * Soccer 521,388 2% 1% Squash 69,935 0% * Tennis 536,128 3% * Volleyball 517,121 2% 1%


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Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)


some of their trips ABORIGINAL ACTIVITIES (NET) 2,307,397 11% 3% Aboriginal cultural experiences in a

remote or rural setting where you stayed for one or more nights 561,439 3% 1%

Aboriginal heritage attractions (e.g., museums, interpretive centres) 1,494,562 7% 1%

Aboriginal festivals and events (e.g., pow wows) 539,903 3% 1%

Aboriginal cuisine (tasted or sampled) 666,069 3% 1% Aboriginal arts and crafts shows 985,903 5% 1% Aboriginal outdoor adventure or sports 232,168 1% *PERFORMING ARTS (NET) 8,990,382 43% 17% Ballet or other dance performances 1,211,842 6% 2% Classical or symphony concert 1,220,638 6% 2% Country / western music concerts 1,091,660 5% 2% Free outdoor performance (e.g., theatre,

concert) in a park setting 3,459,990 17% 3% Jazz concert 836,958 4% 1% Live theatre 3,379,641 16% 5% Live theatre with dinner 1,620,839 8% 3% Opera 475,488 2% 1% Rock & roll / popular concert 2,603,760 12% 6% Stand-up comedy clubs & other variety

shows 1,923,512 9% 2% Circus 745,056 4% 1%FESTIVALS & EVENTS (NET) 9,038,556 43% 16% Carnivals 1,398,090 7% 2% International film festivals 364,586 2% * Literary festivals or events 230,435 1% * Music festivals 1,474,137 7% 3% Theatre festivals 468,130 2% 1% Farmers' markets or country fairs 3,993,031 19% 4% Exhibition or fairs 2,377,239 11% 4% Religious festivals 1,009,997 5% 2% Food / drink festivals 1,108,066 5% 1% Ethnic festivals 873,789 4% 1% Western theme events such as rodeos 721,775 3% 1% Gay pride parades 208,437 1% * Firework displays 3,199,274 15% 3% Hot air balloon festivals 329,639 2% 1% Comedy festivals 365,892 2% 1%


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Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)


some of their trips THEME PARKS (NET) 9,560,111 46% 15% Amusement park 4,351,196 21% 8% Aquariums 2,709,382 13% 2% Botanical gardens 2,924,380 14% 3% Garden theme park 1,391,850 7% 1% Musical attractions 1,006,384 5% 1% Movie theme park 717,410 3% 1% Planetarium 635,053 3% 1% Science & technology theme park 1,364,885 7% 1% Water theme park 2,143,717 10% 3% Wax museums 723,670 3% * Zoos 3,385,129 16% 4% Entertainment farms (corn maze, petting

zoo) 1,316,428 6% 1%EXHIBITS, ARCHTECTURE, HISTORIC SITES (NET) 11,872,008 57% 17% Art galleries 3,859,904 18% 3% Historical replicas of cities/towns with

historic re-enactments 2,088,517 10% 3% Museums - children's museums 742,963 4% 1% Museums - general history or heritage

museums 4,672,996 22% 4% Museums - science or technology

museums 2,053,030 10% 2% Museums - military / war museums 1,876,757 9% 2% Paleontological / archaeological sites 1,408,621 7% 2% Strolling around a city to observe its

buildings & architecture 8,189,397 39% 8% Well known historic sites or buildings 5,993,006 29% 6% Other historic sites monuments and

buildings 4,883,247 23% 4% Well known natural "wonders" 4,787,535 23% 6%HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES (NET) 2,706,304 13% 4% Archaeological digs 195,991 1% * Cooking / wine tasting courses 722,214 3% 1% Courses to learn another language 397,865 2% 1% Curatorial tours 264,154 1% * Harvesting and / or other farm operations 581,763 3% 1% Historical re-enactments (as an actor) 93,787 0% * Interpretive program at a historic site or

park 956,456 5% 1% Wilderness skills courses 302,044 1% 1%


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Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)


some of their trips SPECTATOR SPORTS (NET) 5,622,487 27% 13% Amateur sports tournaments/competitions 2,214,321 11% 5% Amateur tournaments and competitions

other than sports 280,155 1% 1% Auto races 823,836 4% 2% Professional baseball games 1,068,523 5% 2% Professional basketball games 292,808 1% * Professional figure skating 159,262 1% * Professional football games 675,948 3% 2% Professional golf tournaments 197,555 1% 0% Professional ice hockey games 1,891,263 9% 4% Professional soccer games 217,450 1% * Horse races 570,741 3% 1% Equine (horse) competitions 250,396 1% * Curling bonspiel 332,309 2% 1% National/international sporting events,

e.g., the Olympics games 198,609 1% 1%AIR-BASED ACTIVITIES (NET) 233,124 1% * Hang gliding 61,643 0% * Hot air ballooning 88,458 0% * Parachuting 102,289 0% *OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES (NET) 11,276,432 54% 12% Day visit to a health and wellness spa 1,956,601 9% 3% Photography 3,079,455 15% 2% Recreational dancing 1,392,207 7% 1% Went to casino(s) 5,218,740 25% 6% Went to the movies / cinema 5,691,695 27% 4% Went to Imax movie theatres 2,350,757 11% 2%


18


Canadian travellers


(20.9 million)


some of their trips SHOPPING/DINING/FOOD (NET) 17,156,612 82% 16% Dining at restaurants offering local

ingredients & recipes 11,649,615 56% 5% Dining at high-end restaurants of

international reputation 3,533,111 17% 2% Dining at other high-end restaurants 5,523,823 26% 3% Dining at a farm 1,020,534 5% 1% Shop/browse - bookstores or music stores 8,461,762 41% 3% Shop/browse - antiques 4,807,123 23% 2% Shop/browse - gourmet foods in retail

stores 3,584,737 17% 1% Shop/browse - local arts & crafts

studios/exhibits 7,596,491 36% 3% Shop/browse - clothing, shoes and jewelry 11,617,048 56% 7% Shop/browse - greenhouse or garden

centre 3,412,007 16% 2% Went to local outdoor cafes 7,875,158 38% 3% Went to wineries for day visits and tasting 3,348,679 16% 3% Went to breweries for day visits and

tasting 1,215,443 6% 1% Went to fruit picking at farms or open

fields 2,265,787 11% 2% Visited food processing plants such as

cheese factory 1,322,035 6% 1%ACCOMODATION-RELATED ACTIVITIES (NET) - STAYED AT: 12,973,660 62% 28% Lakeside / riverside resort 4,469,793 21% 7% Ski resort or mountain resort 2,728,761 13% 5% Seaside resort 4,070,225 19% 7% Remote or fly-in wilderness lodge 315,928 2% 1% Remote or fly-in wilderness outpost 118,812 1% * Wilderness lodge you can drive to by car 1,132,204 5% 2% Cooking school 73,197 0% * Wine tasting school 68,317 0% * Country inn or resort because it had a

gourmet restaurant on the premises 1,010,462 5% 2% Health spa 1,166,301 6% 2% Farm or guest ranch 604,846 3% 1% On a houseboat 299,876 1% 1% A public campground in a nature park 5,206,549 25% 11% A private campground 3,744,979 18% 6% A camp site in a wilderness setting (not a

campground) 1,698,239 8% 4% A motor home or RV while traveling or

touring (not a camping trip) 926,331 4% 1%* Small sample size, number has been suppressed

19

Shelter Used on Camping Trips

TYPE OF SHELTER MOST OFTEN USED ON CAMPING TRIPS During 2004 - 2005

63%

9% 8% 5%

15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

TENT TRAVEL TRAILER/FIFTH WHEEL MOTOR HOME OR RV TENT TRAILER TRUCK, CAMPER OR VAN

Highlights:

• Of the 8 million adult Canadians (or 39% of Canadians) who went camping, 63% used a tent. Travel trailer/fifth wheel was the second most popular choice, accounting for 15% of Canadian campers.

20

Tours

TYPES OF TOURS TAKEN IN 2004-2005 Number

% of total travellers (20.9

million) An organized or guided group tour where you stayed for one or more nights at different locations 2,063,036 10%An organized or guided group tour where you stayed for one or more nights at a single location (e.g., casino, spa, etc.) 1,589,148 8%An organized or guided group tour excursion of less than one day's duration (a same day tour) while on a trip of one or more nights 4,408,180 21%A self-guided (i.e., not part of an organized group tour) same day tour excursion while on a trip of one or more nights 5,782,546 28%A self-guided tour (i.e., not part of an organized group tour) on which you stayed in different places for one or more nights 3,562,615 17%An unspecified type of same day tour 620,078 3%None of the above 6,762,769 32%Not stated 3,219,172 15%

“WHERE DID YOU GO ON THESE SAME DAY TOURS IN 2004 - 2005?” Number

% of total travellers (20.9 million)

Around the countryside - scenic drives 4,449,719 21%Around the city 4,650,819 22%As a pilot or passenger of airplane or helicopter 378,339 2%On the water (sightseeing cruise) 2,566,262 12%To a winery / wineries 1,118,284 5%To a factory / factories 530,344 3%To a casino 1,310,783 6%Wilderness / outdoor tour 2,573,217 12%Some other type of tour 1,946,253 9%Not stated 3,219,172 15%

Highlights:

• In 2004–05, 7.7 million adult Canadians (or 37% of Canadian travellers) took a same-day tour, either self-guided or organized, while on an overnight trip. “Around the city” and “Around the country-side” were the most popular types of same-day tours.

• Self-guided tours were of equal importance to organized or guided tours.

21

Cruises

Types of Overnight Cruises in 2004 - 2005 Number


(20.9 million) OCEAN CRUISE (NET) 1,766,334 8% Ocean cruise - Alaska 339,398 2% Ocean cruise - Caribbean 1,067,451 5% Ocean cruise - other 653,167 3%LAKE/RIVER CRUISES (NET) 901,512 4% Great Lakes cruise 156,212 1% Cruise on the St. Lawrence River 393,742 2% Cruise on another lake or river 470,315 2%SUBMARINE CRUISE 26,310 0%SOME OTHER TYPE OF CRUISE 324,241 2%DID NOT TAKE A CRUISE 14,257,051 68%NOT STATED 3,894,263 19%

Highlights:

• Approximately 14% of adult Canadian travellers took a cruise in 2004-05.

• Though Caribbean cruises are by far the most popular types of cruises, the combined lake/ river cruise market was as large as the Caribbean cruise market.

22

BUSINESS TRAVEL

Incidence of Business or Job-related Travel TYPES OF BUSINESS OR JOB-RELATED TRAVEL IN 2004 - 2005

Number


(20.9 million)

TOOK ANY TYPE OF BUSINESS TRIP (NET) 6,852,514 33% Business meetings 3,373,303 16% Trade shows 1,353,856 6% Business conventions 1,392,803 7% Conferences or seminars 2,904,920 14% Employer-paid training 2,077,599 10% Some other business reason 2,403,354 12%I HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY OUT-OF-TOWN JOB-RELATED OVERNIGHT TRIPS 11,874,030 57%NOT STATED 2,148,765 10%

Highlights:

• One third (33%) of adult Canadian travellers took at least one overnight business trip, travelling almost as often to attend conferences or seminars as to attend business meetings in 2004 - 2005.

23

Incentive Travel

“Has your employer provided you with a fully paid, overnight vacation as a reward?” Number


(20.9 million) Yes 1,779,766 9%No 12,629,315 60%Don't have an employer 4,737,611 23%Did not take pleasure or vacation trips 929,015 4%Not stated 799,602 4%

Highlights:

• Only 9% of Canadian travellers received an overnight vacation, planned and paid by their employers, as a reward.

• In the bullet point above, if one excludes those who did not answer the question, as well as the Canadians who did not have an employer and those who did not take vacation trips, then this percentage climbs to 12%. In other words, 12% of the Canadian travellers who answered this question had an employer and took pleasure or vacation trips in 2004-05, received as a reward an overnight vacation planned and paid by their employer.

24

PLEASURE OR VACATION TRAVEL

Incidence of Overnight Pleasure or Vacation Travel

50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95% 100%

VictoriaVancouver

BRITISH COLUMBIAEdmonton

CalgaryALBERTASaskatoon

ReginaSASKATCHEWAN

WinnipegMANITOBA

Thunder BayGreater Sudbury

WindsorLondon

KitchenerSt. Catharines-Niagara

HamiltonTorontoOshawaKingston

OttawaONTARIOGatineauMontreal

Quebec CityQUEBEC

HalifaxATLANTIC CANADA

CANADA

Canadian travellers who took pleasure trips of one or more nights in 2004-05 - By Place of ResidenceAs % of total travellers

Highlights:

• Of the 20.9 million Canadians who took overnight trips, 96%, or 19.9 million travelled for pleasure or vacations.

• The incidence of pleasure travel among Canadian travellers varied across the country with Kingston having the highest incidence and Sudbury, the lowest.

25

Number of Pleasure or Vacation Trips NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT PLEASURE OR VACATION TRIPS IN 2004-2005

Number % of total travellers

(20.9 million) NONE 929,015 4%ONE 2,045,112 10%TWO 2,909,147 14%THREE 2,402,158 12%FOUR 1,985,390 10%FIVE OR MORE 9,097,702 44%NOT STATED 1,506,786 7%AVERAGE 4.5 -

Highlights:

• Although 4% of adult Canadian travellers did not take any overnight pleasure or vacation trips in the past 2 years (they took only business related trips), almost 44% of adult Canadian travellers had taken 5 or more trips.

• On average, the adult Canadians travellers who answered this question took 4.5 overnight pleasure or vacation trips during 2004-05, while those who answered the question and had taken a pleasure or vacation trip took 4.7 trips.

26

Places Visited During Pleasure or Vacation Trips SELECTED PLACES VISITED FOR OVERNIGHT PLEASURE OR VACATION TRIPS IN 2004 - 2005 Number

% of pleasure travellers

(19.9 million) Canada 17,421,379 87% Newfoundland & Labrador 681,741 3% Prince Edward Island 1,215,525 6% Nova Scotia 1,861,384 9% New Brunswick 1,883,347 9% Quebec 6,373,323 32% Ontario 8,898,941 45% Manitoba 1,246,773 6% Saskatchewan 1,624,315 8% Alberta 3,978,593 20% British Columbia 5,022,967 25% Yukon 143,985 1% Northwest Territories 87,000 0% Nunavut 25,149 0%The United States 8,789,612 44% Arizona 565,693 3% California 1,541,016 8% Florida 2,403,693 12% Hawaii 497,448 2% Maine 668,430 3% Massachusetts 573,536 3% Michigan 780,929 4% Nevada 1,014,615 5% New York State 2,228,649 11% Ohio 430,935 2% Oregon 421,770 2% Pennsylvania 477,562 2% Vermont 413,124 2% Washington State 1,041,650 5%Other Countries/Regions 6,817,514 34% Mexico 2,014,544 10% South / Central America 733,113 4% The Caribbean 2,616,197 13% Europe (Inc. UK & Russia) 2,533,218 13% Asia 874,926 4% Australia/New Zealand/Africa 445,744 2%

Highlights:

• Of the 19.9 million adult Canadians who took one or more overnight pleasure or vacation trips, 87% visited Canada, 44% visited the United States, and 34% visited other countries.

27

Number of Overnight Trips to Specific Destinations

NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT PLEASURE TRIPS TAKEN IN 2004-2005 TO SPECIFIC DESTINATIONS - SELECTED STATES, PROVINCES AND COUNTRIES

Number of Overnight Pleasure Trips DESTINATION OF OVERNIGHT PLEASURE TRIP 1 2 3+

Not Stated Average

NOVA SCOTIA 1,039,379 310,067 475,031 274,913 2As % of pleasure travellers to destination 50% 15% 23% 13% QUEBEC 2,140,040 1,321,753 2,736,877 412,659 2.5As % of pleasure travellers to destination 32% 20% 41% 6% ONTARIO 2,349,240 1,949,706 4,379,934 458,069 3.6As % of pleasure travellers to destination 26% 21% 48% 5% MANITOBA 587,292 219,774 412,770 264,944 2.2As % of pleasure travellers to destination 40% 15% 28% 18% SASKATCHEWAN 747,638 304,113 537,445 273,125 2.2As % of pleasure travellers to destination 40% 16% 29% 15% ALBERTA 1,592,662 814,234 1,466,435 343,269 2.3As % of pleasure travellers to destination 38% 19% 35% 8% BRITISH COLUMBIA 1,853,278 984,358 2,071,631 351,706 2.5As % of pleasure travellers to destination 35% 19% 39% 7% FLORIDA 1,486,402 575,127 286,675 293,496 1.6As % of pleasure travellers to destination 56% 22% 11% 11% NEW YORK STATE 1,344,267 387,291 426,801 308,295 1.8As % of pleasure travellers to destination 54% 16% 17% 12% CALIFORNIA 1,097,510 261,174 165,351 254,988 1.5As % of pleasure travellers to destination 62% 15% 9% 14% 1 2+ Not Stated Average NEVADA 758,148 233,910 260,564 1.5 As % of pleasure travellers to destination 61% 19% 21% MEXICO 1,536,348 456,681 259,521 1.5 As % of pleasure travellers to destination 68% 20% 12% SOUTH / CENTRAL AMERICA 538,760 167,681 264,678 1.5 As % of pleasure travellers to destination 55% 17% 27% THE CARIBBEAN 1,763,182 796,523 294,498 1.6 As % of pleasure travellers to destination 62% 28% 10% EUROPE (Including U.K. & RUSSIA) 1,661,338 842,167 267,721 1.7 As % of pleasure travellers to destination 60% 30% 10%

Highlights:

• As expected, the number of trips to Canadian destinations that Canadians take for pleasure or vacation is higher than the number of trips they take to foreign destinations.

• Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia had the highest proportion of frequent pleasure travellers.

28

TRIP PLANNING

Involvement with Planning INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PLANNING OF OVERNIGHT PLEASURE TRIPS IN 2004 - 2005 Number

% of pleasure travellers (19.9 million)

FREQUENCY OF INVOLVEMENT All of the trips 12,335,077 62% Most of the trips 3,003,239 15% Some of the trips 2,055,297 10% None of the trips 1,874,717 9% Not stated 677,965 3%

Travellers who are involved (in at least some trips) 17,393,613 87%

MAIN PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANNING Number

% of travellers who are involved in planning

(17.4 million) Yourself 6,965,233 40% Your spouse or partner 2,686,826 15% Someone else in household 396,392 2% Shared responsibility involving yourself and another

household member 5,499,440 32% Shared responsibility involving other members of your

household, but not yourself 81,124 0% Someone else in household 997,556 6% Not stated 1,474,846 8%

Highlights:

• The majority (62%) of adult Canadian pleasure travellers got personally involved in planning all overnight, out-of-town pleasure or vacation trips. About one-quarter got involved with some of these trips and only 9% did not get involved at all.

• Of those who were involved with planning at least some of their overnight pleasure trips, 40% were the main person responsible for planning the trips, while their spouse/partner was the main planner in 15% of the cases.

29

Information Sources

INFORMATION SOURCES USED TO PLAN OVERNIGHT PLEASURE TRIPS IN 2004-2005 Number

% of travellers who are involved in planning

(17.4 million) A travel agent 5,928,408 34%An internet website 11,320,446 65%

An electronic newsletter or magazine received by e-mail 732,027 4%An auto club such as AAA 3,069,296 18%Articles in newspapers/magazines 3,614,796 21%

Advertisements in newspapers/magazines 2,469,646 14%Visitor information centres 4,050,322 23%Travel guide books such as Fodor's or Michelin 2,350,751 14%

Advice of friends or relatives/word-of-mouth 8,862,553 51%

Visits to trade, travel or sportsmen's shows 528,988 3%Programs on television 1,297,478 7%Advertisements on television 882,423 5%Travel information received in the mail 1,534,184 9%Past experience/been there before 8,674,514 50%Maps 5,659,173 33%Official travel guides or brochures from state/provincial/national organizations 4,477,065 26%None of the above 1,023,220 6%Not stated 117,414 1%

Highlights:

• The majority of adult Canadians who were involved in planning their overnight pleasure trips used the Internet as a source of information (65%).

• Canadian travellers relied on their own past experiences and/or anecdotal information provided by friends and relatives. More than 80% of Canadians who were involved in planning their pleasure trips used the advice of friends and relatives, a travel agent or past experiences.

• About a quarter (24%) of the adult Canadians who were involved in trip-planning used advertising (in newspapers, on TV or in publications received by mail) as a source of information for planning overnight pleasure trips.

30

Types of Websites Used

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

A travel planning/booking website (e.g. Expedia)

An airline's website

The website of a country/state/province/city tourism authority

The website of a hotel or resort

A motorcoach website

A cruise line website

The website of an attraction (e.g., museum)

Some other website

Not Stated

Types of websites used in 2004-05 to plan trips of one or more nightsCanadian travellers who used the Internet to plan their trips = 11.4 mil

Highlights:

• In planning overnight pleasure trips, Canadians are most likely to use the website of a hotel or resort. Contrary to American travellers, they are also likely to use the website of a destination’s tourism authority.

31

Booking on the Internet

“Were any parts of the pleasure or vacation trips of one or more nights you took during the past 2 years actually booked over the Internet either by you or by someone else in your travel party or household?” Number

% of total pleasure travellers

(19.9 million) YES 7,294,570 37%NO 5,236,187 26%DON'T KNOW/NOT SURE 429,654 2%NOT STATED 709,608 4%

TYPES OF TRAVEL SERVICES PURCHASED OVER THE INTERNET FOR TRIPS OF ONE OR MORE NIGHTS Among those who use the Internet to purchase travel services = 7.3 million

31% 31%

12%10%

7% 7%

2%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

ACCOMMODATION AIR TICKETS CAR RENTAL TICKETS OR FEESFOR ACTIVITIES OR

ATTRACTIONS

TICKETS FORRAIL/BUS/BOAT/SHIP

A PACKAGECONTAINING AT

LEAST TWO TRAVELSERVICES

OTHER

Highlights:

• A bit over one-third of Canadian pleasure travellers purchased travel services over the Internet (substantially lower than their American counterparts).

• Of those who purchased travel services over the Internet, most purchased accommodation services and air tickets. Purchasing tickets over the Internet for other modes of public transport was not common.

32

Purchases of Travel Packages NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT PLEASURE TRIPS OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS IN WHICH A TRAVEL PACKAGE WAS PURCHASED Number


(19.9 million) MOST OR ALL OF THEM 1,421,115 7%ONE, OR SOME OF THEM 4,775,114 24%NONE OF THEM 12,430,566 62%NOT STATED 1,319,499 7%

“If you were to purchase a travel package, what types of travel services would you like included?”

Number


(19.9 million)

TRANSPORTATION TO THE DESTINATION 14,411,036 72%TRANSPORTATION WHILE AT THE DESTINATION 9,932,714 50%ACCOMMODATION 16,229,258 81%FOOD OR BEVERAGES 10,419,192 52%

TICKETS OR FEES FOR SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES OR ATTRACTIONS (Theatres, Museums, Art Galleries, Amusement Parks, etc) 9,006,718 45%SOME OTHER SERVICE(S) 2,333,960 12%NOT STATED 1,436,828 7%

Highlights:

• The majority of Canadian pleasure travellers (62%) have not purchased travel packages for overnight pleasure or vacation trips in the past two years.

• Only 7% of Canadian travellers buy travel packages for most or all of their pleasure trips and one-quarter of all Canadian pleasure travellers have purchased a travel package for at least one of their overnight pleasure trips in the past two years.

• If Canadian pleasure travellers were to purchase a travel package, the kind of services they would like included involve accommodation (81%), transportion to and at the destination (72%), food and beverage (52%) and tickets to activities and attractions (45%).

33

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Destination or Experience?

SUMMER VACATION TRIPS WINTER VACATION TRIPS TOOK THIS TYPE OF TRIP IN 2004-2005 Number

% of Pleasure Travellers Number

% of Pleasure Travellers

YES 17,232,065 86% 12,764,500 64% NO 2,313,779 12% 6,737,700 34% NOT STATED 400,450 2% 444,094 2%

“Apart from any cost or budgetary considerations, what did you consider first when planning this type of trip?” Number

% of Travellers with Summer Trips Number

% of Travellers with Winter

Trips Started with a desired destination in mind 7,535,897 44% 5,655,127 44%Started by considering certain specific activities you wanted to do (shop, hike, golf, visit amusement park, etc.) 2,121,946 12% 1,818,866 14%Started with the idea of a certain type of vacation experience (family vacation, romance, socializing with friends, etc.) 3,695,108 21% 2,265,922 18%Looked for packaged deals without considering specific destinations, activities or travel experiences 219,508 1% 377,138 3%Considered something else first 673,747 4% 540,964 4%Don't know/not sure 533,811 3% 253,473 2%Someone else planned the trip 806,366 5% 783,560 6%Not stated 1,645,682 10% 1,069,451 8%

Highlights:

• 86% of Canadian overnight pleasure travellers took at least one summer vacation in 2004-05 and 64% took a winter vacation.

• The survey investigated the decision-making process of Canadians when planning trips and compared summer and winter trip planning processes.

• Regardless of whether they were planning summer or winter vacations, a large number of Canadian pleasure travellers started their planning process by considering first the destination they wanted to visit.

34

Benefits Sought from Pleasure or Vacation Trips

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

To get a break from your day-to-day environment

To relax and relieve stress

To enrich your relationship with your spouse/partner/children

To create lasting memories

To have a life with no fixed schedule (to do what you want,when you want)

To see or do something new and different

To keep family ties alive

To enrich your perspective on life

To gain knowledge of history, other cultures or other places

To renew personal connections with people (other than family)

To stimulate your mind/be intellectually challenged

To be challenged physically/to feel physically energized

To be pampered

To have stories to share back at home or somethinginteresting to talk about

To seek solitude and isolation

Not Stated Of no importance

Somewhat important

Highly important

Benefits sought from pleasure or vacation tripsPercentages based on total travellers = 20.9 mil

Highlights:

• There are four categories of benefits that 50% or more of Canadian travellers seek when they take overnight pleasure or vacation trips:

o Get a break from day-to-day environment o To relax and relieve stress o To enrich one’s relationship with his/her partner/children o To create lasting memories

The top two of them relate to the benefits of travel in relieving the impacts that stress, boredom or work loads have on individual mental health.

• Those who travel to relieve stress (ie to relax, to seek solitude, to have no fixed schedule and to get a break from the day-to-day activities) accounted for 82% of all Canadian travellers. Those who sought knowledge and mental stimulation accounted for 57% and those who sought to improve or maintain relationships accounted for 66%.

35

The Importance of the Choice of Destination “For some people, the decision about which destination to choose for a pleasure trip is extremely important – as important as deciding how much to spend on a house or car. For others, the decision is not important at all. How important is the choice of destination to you?”

IMPORTANCE OF THE CHOICE OF DESTINATION Percentages based on total travellers = 20.9 million

MODERATELY IMPORTANT

29%

SLIGHTLY IMPORTANT5%

NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT3%

NOT STATED1%EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

23%

VERY IMPORTANT39%

Highlights:

• Almost two-thirds (62%) of Canadian travellers indicated that the choice of the destination for a pleasure or vacation trip is very or extremely important to them (at least as important as buying a house or car).

36

Important Considerations in Choosing a Destination

Highly Important Somewhat Important Of No Importance “How Important are each of the following conditions

when choosing a destination for an overnight pleasure

trip?”

Percentages based on total number of Canadian travellers = 20.9 million

No health concerns at the destination 50% 38% 8%Feeling safe at the destination 66% 28% 4%Being familiar with the culture and language of the destination 14% 56% 27%Being at a place that is very different, culturally, than yours 9% 47% 40%Having friends or relatives living there 11% 27% 59%Low cost package deals available for the destination 23% 50% 23%Destination is disabled-person-friendly 6% 15% 73%Lots of things for children to see/ do 17% 22% 56%Lots of things for adults to see/do 38% 51% 7%Information about the destination available on the internet 25% 43% 27%Great shopping opportunities 12% 41% 43%Availability of luxury accommodation 7% 26% 55%Availability of mid-range accommodation 29% 50% 13%Availability of budget accommodation 22% 44% 23%Availability of camping 13% 24% 51%Convenient access by car 43% 41% 11%Direct access by air 29% 42% 22%Convenient access by train/bus 13% 37% 39%Not stated 1%

Highlights: • The two considerations in choosing a destination that were the most frequently rated

as highly important by Canadian travellers were: feeling safe at the destination (66%) and having no health concerns at the destination (50%).

• Since some items in the above table refer to the same underlying consumer need (for example, “safety at the destination” and “no health concerns” are both about safety), we have grouped the responses as follows: o Conditions that relate to their comfort and safety at the destination – 83% of

Canadian travellers rated these conditions as highly important o Conditions that relate to the costs of travelling to a destination – 62% rated

those as highly important

37

IMPRESSIONS AND RATINGS OF DESTINATIONS

Appeal of a Destination

Very Appealing (scores of 8, 9 or

10) Very Unappealing

(scores of 1, 2 or 3)

No impression/Can’t

Rate Not

Stated

DESTINATION RATINGS ON A 10-POINT SCALE 1 = Very Unappealing 10 = Very Appealing

Percentages based on total number of Canadian travellers = 20.9 million

Newfoundland & Labrador 33% 13% 15% 7%Prince Edward Island 41% 7% 11% 6%Nova Scotia 42% 7% 11% 6%New Brunswick 32% 9% 11% 6%Quebec 46% 13% 6% 5%Ontario 46% 9% 4% 4%Manitoba 12% 24% 14% 7%Saskatchewan 12% 27% 14% 7%Alberta 41% 9% 9% 6%British Columbia 70% 3% 7% 5%Yukon 26% 21% 18% 8%Northwest Territories 20% 25% 19% 8%New York State 33% 15% 10% 7%Colorado 26% 15% 17% 8%Florida 45% 12% 8% 6%California 51% 8% 10% 7%Hawaii 60% 6% 11% 7%Arizona 34% 12% 15% 7%Did not answer any parts of the question 1%

Highlights:

• British Columbia is by far the most appealing of the destinations listed above for the majority of Canadian travellers.

• Of the eighteen destinations listed in the TAMS questionnaire there are only three

where the proportion of Canadian travellers that rate them as very unappealing is higher than the proportion that rate them as very appealing (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Northwest Territories).

38

Reasons to Travel to Destination

THERE ARE MANY GOOD REASONS TO TRAVEL TO

THIS DESTINATION

THERE ARE SOME GOOD REASONS TO TRAVEL TO

THIS DESTINATION

THERE ARE NO GOOD REASONS TO

TRAVEL TO THIS DESTINATION

Not Stated

DESTINATIONS Percentages based on total number of Canadian travellers = 20.9 million Newfoundland & Labrador 27% 45% 22% 6%Prince Edward Island 32% 50% 13% 5%Nova Scotia 32% 48% 14% 5%New Brunswick 23% 53% 19% 5%Quebec 41% 39% 16% 4%Ontario 43% 43% 10% 4%Manitoba 8% 45% 42% 6%Saskatchewan 8% 42% 44% 6%Alberta 34% 45% 15% 6%British Columbia 64% 26% 5% 5%Yukon 17% 40% 37% 7%Northwest Territories 12% 38% 43% 7%New York State 30% 45% 19% 6%Colorado 19% 49% 25% 7%Florida 40% 40% 14% 5%California 46% 36% 11% 6%Hawaii 54% 30% 10% 6%Arizona 23% 48% 23% 7%Did not answer any parts of the question 1%

Highlights: • A destination may be appealing but it may not provide travellers many reasons to

visit. Other destinations that are also appealing may be closer, safer or cheaper.

• British Columbia received the highest scores among Canadian travellers, surpassing Hawaii.

• There are five destinations where the proportion of Canadian travellers that indicated that there were many good reasons to visit is smaller than the proportion of travellers who found no good reasons to visit (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Colorado).

39

ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION AT HOME

Outdoor Activities OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED IN FREQUENTLY OR OCCASIONALLY DURING A TYPICAL YEAR

% of total adult population (24.8 million)

% of travellers (20.9 million)

Canoeing or Kayaking 14% 16%Camping 34% 38%Cycling 40% 43%Cross-Country Skiing 11% 12%Downhill Skiing 14% 16%Day Outing to a Park 62% 66%Fishing 28% 30%Golfing 25% 28%Hiking 44% 47%Horseback Riding 6% 7%Hunting 8% 8%Ice-Skating 26% 28%Jogging 23% 24%Picnicking 50% 52%Rollerblading 13% 14%Sailing or Other Boating 20% 23%Skateboarding 2% 2%Snowboarding 4% 5%Snowmobiling 9% 10%Swimming 55% 59%Playing Racquet Sports 18% 19%Playing Team Sports 21% 23%Exercise Home/Fitness Club 59% 60%Gardening 57% 59%Riding an All-Terrain Vehicle 14% 14%

Highlights:

• When not travelling, Canadian adults and travellers say that their preferred outdoor activities at home are outings to parks (62%), exercising (59%), gardening (57%) and swimming (55%).

• In terms of all outdoor activities, travellers are more active than non-travellers.

40

Entertainment Activities ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES PARTICIPATED IN FREQUENTLY OR OCCASIONALLY DURING A TYPICAL YEAR

% of total adult population

(24.8 million) % of travellers (20.9 million)

Amateur Sports Events 38% 41%Art Galleries Or Art Shows 28% 31%The Ballet 7% 7%Bars with Live Pop/Rock Bands 25% 27%Botanical Gardens 24% 25%Classical Music Concerts 15% 16%Dancing 28% 30%Day Spas 12% 13%Eat in Restaurants 88% 90%Festivals or Fairs 57% 60%Gamble In Casinos 17% 18%Historic Site/Heritage Building 36% 39%Jazz Clubs 7% 7%Live Theatre 32% 34%Museums 30% 32%Operas 6% 6%Pick-Your-Own Farm/Farm Market 40% 41%Professional Sports Events 29% 31%Rock Music Concerts 20% 22%Rodeos 7% 8%Amusement or Theme Parks 27% 28%Zoos or Aquariums 29% 31%Stay Hotel/B&B In your own city 9% 10%

Highlights:

• When not travelling, Canadian adults and travellers say that their preferred entertainment activities at home are: eating in restaurants (88%), attending festivals or fairs (57%), going to pick-you-own farms or farmers’ markets (40%) and going to amateur sports events (38%).

• In all entertainment activities, travellers are more active than non-travellers.

41

COTTAGE OR VACATION HOME OWNERSHIP AND LOCATION

“Do you have access to a private cottage, cabin or vacation home on a regular basis? (owned by you, a friend or family member that you can use on a regular basis)”


Yes 32%No 65%Not Stated 3%

“Where is this cottage, cabin or vacation home located?” % of travellers (20.9 million)

Your own province 28%In some other Canadian province 5%Outside Canada 3%Not stated 3%

Highlights:

• 32% of Canadian travellers (or 6.7 million people) have access to a cottage, cabin or vacation home.

• The majority (99.5%) of these cottages and vacation homes are in Canada, with 85% of them being located in the travellers’ own home province.

• Over half a million Canadian travellers (624,867 people) have cottages or vacation homes outside Canada.

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RECREATION VEHICLE OWNERSHIP

“Do you or does someone else in your household, own…?”


A Motor Home, Camper Or RV 15%A Snowmobile 10%An All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) 13%A Motor Boat 17%A Sailboat 3%A Canoe Or Kayak 15%None Of The Above 58%Not Stated 4%

Highlights:

• 15% of adult Canadian travellers own a motor home, camper or RV and 17% own a motor boat.

• More Canadian travellers own a motor home/RV, snowmobile, ATV, or canoe/kayak than engage in related activities while on a trip. However, in the case of sailboats and motor boats, fewer Canadians own them than use them on overnight trips.

43

MEDIA HABITS

Newspapers “Which of the following newspapers do you normally read in a typical week?”


Daily Newspaper Weekday Edition 87%Weekend Edition Newspaper 87%Local Community Newspaper 60%Other Newspapers 17%Don't Read The Newspaper 12%Not Stated 0%“How often do you read the travel section of a daily newspaper?”


Frequently 18%Occasionally 27%Rarely 26%Never 16%Not Stated 1%“How often do you read the travel section of a weekend edition of a newspaper?”


Frequently 21%Occasionally 25%Rarely 24%Never 16%Not Stated 1%

Highlights:

• The vast majority of Canadian travellers (87%) read the weekday edition of a newspaper in a typical week and a similar proportion reads the weekend edition of a newspaper.

• 45% of Canadian travellers read the travel section of a daily newspaper frequently or occasionally and 46% read the weekend travel section with the same frequency.

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Magazines “Which of the following magazines do you read in a typical month?”


Automobile & Cycle Magazines (e.g. Motor Trends) 13%Business, Finance & Investing (e.g., Forbes) 16%Computer, Electronics & Technology 10%Crafts, Antiques &Collectibles 13%Entertainment & Music (e.g., People, TV Guide) 32%Family & Parenting (e.g., Today’s Parent) 9%Fashion & Beauty (e.g., Vogue) 23%Food & Cooking (e.g., Gourmet) 26%General Interest (e.g., Harper’s, Reader’s Digest) 30%Health, Fitness, & Well Living 21%Home & Garden 24%Magazines About Your City (e.g., Chicago Magazine) 12%News Magazine (e.g., Time, Newsweek) 23%Outdoor Activities/Sports (e.g., Backpacker, Sail) 12%Photography & Video 4%Professional Sports(e.g., Sports Illustrated) 8%Regional Magazines 8%Science & Geography (e.g., National Geographic) 16%Travel (e.g., Conde Nast) 11%Other Magazines 28%Don't read magazines in a typical month 12%Not Stated 1%

Highlights:

• Entertainment and Music magazines, such as People and TV Guide, and general interest magazines such as Harper’s, enjoy the highest readership among Canadian travellers.

• Entertainment and Music (32%); General Interest (30%) and Food and Cooking (26%) are the top three types of magazines that Canadian travellers read regularly.

• Surprisingly, only 11% of Canadian travellers read regularly travel magazines such as Conde Nast and Travel & Leisure.

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Television “Which of the following types of television programs do you normally watch?”


Biography 42%Cooking Shows 32%Dramas 56%History 42%Home & Garden Shows 34%Late Night Talk Shows 27%Movies On TV 70%Music/Music Video Shows/Channels 25%News/Current Affairs 64%Reality Shows 39%Science & Nature Shows 43%Science Fiction/Fantasy Shows 19%Shopping Channels 5%Situation Comedies 51%Soap Operas/Daytime Dramas 23%Sports/Sports Shows 43%Travel Shows 30%Other Television Shows 29%Don't Normally Watch TV 3%Not Stated 0%

Highlights:

• In terms of television shows, movies on TV, news/current affairs, dramas, such as Law & Order, The West Wing and The O.C. and situation comedies enjoy the biggest audiences among Canadian travellers.

• Movies on TV (70%); New and Current/Affairs (64%) and Dramas (56%) are the most commonly watched types of television programs among Canadian travellers.

• Only 3% of Canadian travellers reported that they do not watch TV on a regular basis.

46

Radio “Which of the following types of radio programs do you listen to?”


All Sports 11%Classical Music 17%Country Music 24%Jazz/Big Band 9%Modern Rock/Alternative Rock 36%Multicultural 8%News/Talk/Information 38%Oldies (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s) 35%Soft Music/Adult Contemporary 25%Top 40/Current Hits 24%Some Other Program 16%Don't Normally Listen To Radio 8%Not Stated 1%“Which of the following types of radio stations do you listen to?”


Public Stations 48%Commercial Stations 61%Not Stated 5%

Highlights:

• Almost all Canadian travellers listen to the radio on a regular basis.

• Radio stations that broadcast news/talk/information were the most popular stations among Canadian travellers.

• The majority of Canadian travellers listen to commercial radio stations (61%).

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Internet Use “Do you use the Internet as a source of information for personal use?”


Yes 81%No 18%Not Stated 1%“What types of websites do you normally visit for personal use?”


Entertainment 39%Games 26%Health 33%House And Home 21%Magazine Sites 13%Network News Sites 27%Newspaper Sites 24%Shopping (All Types) 26%Sites For Specific Interests 27%Sports 21%Travel 38%Weather 43%Other 31%Not Stated 5%

Highlights:

• 81% of Canadian travellers use the Internet as a source of information for personal use. Canadian travellers visit websites most frequently for information on weather (43%), on entertainment (39%), and travel (38%).

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Membership in Organizations and Programs “Are you a member of any of the following organizations or programs?”


Automobile Club like CAA 38%Sports Club 23%Book/Reading Club 5%Community Service Club 11%Nature/Environment Club/Group 3%Travel Club 2%Hobby Club 5%Frequent Flyer Program 25%Hotel/Car Rent Loyalty Program 9%Other 16%None Of The Above 28%Not Stated 4%

Highlights:

• About a quarter (25%) of Canadian travellers belongs to a frequent flyer program and 38% are members of an automobile club such as CAA.

• Over a quarter (28%) of Canadian travellers do not belong to any of the organizations listed.

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GENERAL ATTITUDES

“Indicate the extent to which you feel the statements below apply to you” (on a 5-point scale)

Applies very much (scores of 4 or 5)

As % of total travellers (20.9 million)

Applies very little (scores of 1 or 2)

As % of total travellers (20.9 million)

I prefer to visit undiscovered places before too many hotels and restaurants are built 28% 46%I am actively involved in a regular, rigorous fitness program 21% 57%I believe chance has little to do with success in life 33% 28%I have much more energy than most people my age 33% 25%I often buy new products before they come down in price 15% 61%I make decisions quickly and easily 36% 27%Did not answer any parts of the question 1%

Highlights:

• About one-third of Canadian travellers say that make decisions quickly and easily, have more energy than most people their age, chance has little to do with success in life and they prefer to visit undiscovered places before the mass travel market moves in. Some 15% state that they buy new products before they come down in price.

• Such individuals are considered to be leaders among consumers, and their decisions and discoveries of products, services and destinations influence other travellers.

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VACATIONS DAYS

AVAILABLE PAID VACATION DAYS IN 2005



0 - 4 days 10% 11%5 - 9 days 2% 2%10 - 14 days 9% 7%15 - 19 days 10% 5%20 or more days 20% 8%Not stated 3% 3%

PAID VACATION DAYS TAKEN IN 2005

As % of paid employees who travelled in the past 2 years

(11.0 million)

As % of paid employees who did not travel in the past 2 years (1.4 million)

Did not have any paid vacations 18% 28%None 3% 8%1 - 4 days 2% 3%5 - 9 days 8% 9%10 - 14 days 18% 18%15 - 19 days 18% 12%20 or more days 29% 16%Not stated 4% 6%

PAID VACATION DAYS TAKEN & USED FOR OUT-OF-TOWN OVERNIGHT VACATION TRIPS

As % of paid employees who travelled in past 2 years & took paid vacation days in

2005 (8.3 million) Not applicable None 12% 1 - 4 days 13% 5 - 9 days 26% 10 - 14 days 25% 15 - 19 days 14% 20 or more days 11% Not Stated 0%

Highlights: • In 2005, 21% of all Canadian travellers had 14 or fewer days of paid vacations given

to them by their employer. • In 2005, 64% of Canadian travellers, who had taken and used paid vacation days for

out-of-town overnight vacation trips, used between 1 and 14 days. Among those who used between 1 and 14 days of their paid vacations in 2005, 13% used 1 – 4 days for travel, 26% used 5 – 9 days for travel and 25% used 9 -14 days for travel.

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DEMOGRAPHICS

Age and Household income

AGE OF RESPONDENT % of travellers (20.9 million)

% of non-travellers (3.9 million)

18-24 13% 9%25-34 19% 12%35-44 20% 18%45-54 20% 18%55-64 14% 15%65 and over 14% 29%Average Age 44.7 years 50.7 years

HOUSEHOLD INCOME % of travellers (20.9 million)


Under $20,000 6% 21%$20,000 to $39,999 15% 27%$40,000 to $59,999 17% 15%$60,000 to $79,999 15% 7%$80,000 to $99,999 12% 4%$100,000 or more 22% 4%Not Stated 13% 21%

Highlights:

• Canadian travellers are younger than non-travellers (average age: 45 versus 51) and have almost double the household income of non-travellers (average household income: $71,500 versus $41,000).

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Occupation and Household Composition

OCCUPATION/WORK STATUS % of travellers (20.9 million)


Work 30 or more hours/week as paid employee 47% 31%Work as paid employee but part-time (less than 30 hours/week) 5% 4%Self-employed/ Unpaid worker at a family business 10% 8%Going to school 7% 4%Homemaker 5% 8%Retired 18% 30%Other 6% 13%Not Stated 1% 1%

HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION (“DO YOU LIVE:”) % of travellers (20.9 million)


Alone 11% 20%With spouse/partner and no children 17 years or younger 38% 31%With spouse/partner and children 17 years or under 22% 17%With spouse/partner and children 18 years and over but none under 17 years 8% 6%With children and no spouse 7% 10%With someone other than spouse/partner or child 14% 14%Not stated 1% 2%

Highlights: • Compared to travellers, higher proportions of Canadian non-travellers are retired and

lower proportions have full-time, paid employment.

• The vast majority of Canadian travellers live with a spouse or partner (68%) and about one-quarter of them have children under the age of 18 (22%). On the other hand, more Canadian non-travellers live alone or with children but no spouse/partner.

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Respondent’s Place of Birth

RESPONDENT’S PLACE OF BIRTH % of travellers (20.9 million)


Canada 80% 74%US/Western Europe/Australia/New Zealand 7% 5%Asia (Toronto, Vancouver CMAs) 4% 6%Other (Toronto, Vancouver CMAs) 4% 6%Asia/Other (rest of Canada) 5% 8%Not Stated 0% 0%

“In what year did you first come to Canada to live permanently?”

% of travellers who were born outside Canada

(4.2 million)

% of non-travellers who were born outside Canada

(1.0 million) 1996-2006 24% 28%1981-1995 26% 27%1966-1980 28% 21%1965 or earlier 21% 23%Not Stated 1% 1%

Highlights:

• 80% of Canadian travellers were born in Canada, compared to 74% of Canadian non-travellers.

• The arrival to Canada of the Canadian travellers who were born outside the country seems to be fairly evenly distributed throughout the decades, while for the non-travellers this arrival seems to be more concentrated in the years after 1980 – a factor that may also be contributing to their status as non-travellers.

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Parent’s Place of Birth



Country of birth Mother Father Mother Father Canada 64% 62% 68% 66%Outside Canada 35% 36% 32% 33%Not Stated 1% 2% 0% 1%

Highlights: • About one-third of the parents of travellers and non-travellers were born outside

Canada, with travellers having a slightly higher incidence of having one or both of their parents born outside the country.

Education

LEVEL OF EDUCATION COMPLETED % of travellers (20.9 million)


Less than high school 11% 35%High school diploma 27% 30%Some post-secondary 11% 7%Post-secondary diploma or certificate 21% 14%University degree 29% 12%Not stated 1% 2%

Highlights: • Canadian travellers are significantly more educated than Canadian non-travellers,

with 29% of Canadian travellers having a university degree.

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Documents

Travel Activities and Motivations of Canadian Residents · • The vast majority (87%) of Canadian travellers read the weekday edition of a newspaper in a typical week. A similar